The Roommate
by Mist.Filled.Eyes
Summary: One-Shot for Akira. Gaara Sabaku came to live with the Uchiha's to save money for college, not to date the youngest brother. Definitely not to date the youngest brother.


**A/N: **Okay, so first off, this is a companion story to a one shot that's being posted on the profile of Akira Nishikawa. Please go read that too, it's Sasuke's POV. Whereas this is Gaara's view point.

Secondly, this is my _very_ first attempt at a first person point of view. I've consulted on to go about it with my other amigo .Moon and for her help I'm quite grateful. So we're trying for first person. Wish me luck!

Finally, my spell check is refusing to work for me, so if you find an error, let me know and I'll be sure to correct it in a hurry. Thanks to all.

Without further ado,

* * *

As I stepped out of the bathroom, the steam of my shower rolling out with me, I sighed to myself and ran a hand through the raven hair of my lover laying on the bed nearby. How'd I get here? Living in a house with Sasuke Uchiha, the baby of Akatsuki 'family' - hell, _dating _Sasuke Uchiha. Those two thoughts never would have ever crossed my mind when I first came to live with the Uchiha brothers. Not a chance in hell would I have ever thought of it, I wasn't even looking to date, I was too focused on my education to think about relationships.

Sasuke stirs, blinking up at me in that tired, bleary, I-don't-know-my-name kind of way that I love so much. Leaning down to kiss him gently and assure the man that I'm still here and he can rest in peace, I continue my train of thought.

How did I get here? Ah yes...

.

.

I sat down on the couch in the middle of the living room and in my state of near amazement, I barely registered my cousin sit down beside me. It startled me to think that I'd be living with someone, anyone, other then my cousin and Deidara. Sasori, said cousin, had told me that Akatsuki took care of their own and that Itachi would welcome me with open arms. Sitting on that couch, I remember thinking that just might be true. Itachi had given me a warning though, I was welcome to stay as long as I never did anything that could be categorized as insane.

I remember my answer too, "I'm Sasori's cousin. He's the responsible member of this family, so no worries, I got all the good genes." He'd laughed at that, then sobered up and told me that his little brother was really going through it right now and that he'd appreciate it if I could not make it worse for him.

When the youngest, and apparently most cherished member of the Uchiha family came into the room I wisely chose to keep my sarcastic trap shut.

But for the love of god, could no one have warned me about the immediate urge to comfort the teen? Couldn't Sasori have taken 5 minutes to give the boy a 'Warning! May Cause Lust' sign to wear around that pale neck. Sasuke Uchiha was gorgeous, even through his tears those onyx eyes of his could light up a room. I felt a ridiculous, instinctive sense of rage for the bastard who caused the tears.

Sasori took the moment of distraction that Kisame provided by leading Sasuke out to lean over to me and murmur. "I know, we'll talk."

I was far too distracted to chastise him for doing that freaky mind-reader thing again. Once the teen was back in bed, Sasori turned to me. "I could have warned you about his looks, but that would have only served to make it worse. You would never have believed me, then when he came in it would have been twice as bad." I hexed him for being right, then turned and adressed the room.

"What happened?"

"He got cheated on for 2 years - and he'd been dating the guy for three years." Itachi answered my astonished expression with a nod as he rattled out a few cold&fever pills for his brother. "Sasuke loved that idiot, I'm going to break him in half." The eldest Uchiha met my gaze and smirked. "You've got a class with him. I wouldn't be opposed to you injuring him. Or worse."

When he walked away, I turned to my cousin with a raised eyebrow. "Did he just-"

"Invite you do violence onto a boy you've never met? Yes, yes he did." A smile slipped onto his lips and he patted my cheek jokingly. "Good luck cousin."

As he rose and walked out the door, I stayed sitting in my newest state; Disbelief. I summarized my day mentally and determined that it was almost impossible that this actually happened, noting the use of the word 'almost' I turned and put my face into a pillow.

_This can't be happening._

And yet it was. The next time Sasuke and I crossed paths he was still sick I could see it, but he had a fiery determination burning in those eyes of his. I had looked up, but only when he wasn't looking. He stood, apprehensive of greeting me for a moment, then spoke.

"Gaara?"

I had to smirk, he sounded so nervous. I turned my head and gave him a nod in greeting. He looked me over with a clinical eye and I waited paitently for him to finish. As I went to speak, he perked up. "We weren't properly introduced, I'm Sasuke."

I couldn't resist. He had to have known my name already, and I was living there so he should have been able to guess," Itachi told me."

"Oh. Right." He brought his hand up and coughed violently before going to continue on his way. I put the book in my hands down and held up a hand.

"Hold up. Where are you going?" He turned and gave me a wonderfully confused look before pointing in the direction he'd been walking in. Rationally I know he's only 17, but swallowed up in those ridiculous pyjama's ( that surely were a gift from Kisame if the little sharks were any indication ) he looked all of 15.

"The garage. To get a box. To put some stuff in. And keep it there." He rambled on towards the end and I rose to my feet.

"The garage is cold. You are sick. I'll get it." I mocked him, just a little. Enough to put a defiant spark in his expression and have his arm cross defensively at me. I strolled to the garage and found a box quickly. What a kid, sick as hell and going to walk into this 0 degree hell. I'm healthy, buried in a sweater and it's still chilly for me.

When I got back, he was still in the same place, he was just less confused. I hope. He looked a lot less confused, more intrigued. I smiled at him before motioning up the stairs. "C'mon then, let's go pack." He nodded and walked away quietly. Once we got up into his room, he got a lot more sullen. When the tension was becoming almost palable, I turned and flopped on his bed. When he gave me a look that practically screamed huh, I smiled.

"May I ask why we're packing away 80% of your belongings?"

"Nar-"

"The ex." I corrected him. "It helps, it really helps, if you stop thinking about them as a person." He snickered and watched me bounce a ball off his roof. "I would know. The crazies are attracted to me."

"Crazies only?" He turned around and packed something away. I sat up and waited for him to turn before delivering a sultry look then responding.

"Not always. Sometimes I get the occasional adorable boy." Then I stood and went back to packing up 'the ex's' stuff. I could practically feel his shocked gaze on my back as I moved. The afternoon slipped through our fingers as we packed. It was very different, Sasuke had a unique way of looking at things - though apparently my advice about not calling him Naruto anymore helped out. He lightened up as time passed and by the evening he was openly joking with me.

God was it distracting. He's smile at me and grip my arm to hold himself up when he laughed. Every touch sent fire racing through me - I found irony in this. His name is Uchiha, a joke on Uchiwa or Fan, to fan the flames - and every laugh was like turning on a light. It just got brighter and brighter and by the time Itachi called us down to dinner I was certain one more light would have blown my circuit.

I imagine he wouldn't have responded well to me kissing him so soon after his break up.

But who knows. I was a paitent guy, content to wait until he was over it.

Waiting for him took a few years. He was 19, I was 21 when he was finally comfortable. Or he had been. Before he burst in on me drying off from a shower.

I knew his bathroom was broken, but I wasn't expecting him home this early so I thought I'd be safe to grab a shower. ( I'm sure he wasn't expecting me to be there either. ) Soon though he shocked the hell out of me by throwing my door then freezing. He looked so utterly embarassed that I said the first thing on my mind in order to break the silence.

"See something you like?" He flushed and stammered out an apology before fleeing. And that was when I figured it out. He liked me, he was _attracted _to me. Finally he was over that retarded ex of his, what kind of genius would give up something like him, and he had figured out what I knew years ago. We liked each other.

So I made my move, when we had the evening to ourselves, I hit on him during dinner and made my interest known while we were cooking. Leaning just a bit closer then I normally would. When we did the dishes I made certain our fingers touched and when everything was done, never let it be said that I was not a responsible guy, I kissed him.

.

.

In the darkness of the night I ran my fingers through the still damp spikes and stand at the window silently. That's how I made it to where I am today. Tomorrow is Sasuke's birthday and we're going to Itachi's house to celebrate with Akatsuki. But none of that matters, I'm fine with where I am.

However crazy it gets, being with Sasuke is always wonderful in a new way. He's very....unique. I barely flinch when he wraps his arms around my neck. "Coming to bed?" He asks drowsily, speaking directly against my neck. I nod and reach up to grip his hand.

"Of course." I turn and kiss him softly, then with a bit more fire. "Though we may not be doing much sleeping."


End file.
